Electric cut-off apparatus



(No Model.\

B. W. RICE, Jr. ELECTRIC OUT-OPP APPARATUS.

Patented July 14, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIV-IN WILBUR RICE, JR, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC CUT-OFF APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters "Patent No. 455,800, dated July 14, 1891.

Application filed December 15, 1886. Serial No. 221,676. (No model.)

To all 1071,0172, it may concern: Instead of using a mica or a paper film, a Be it known that I, EDWIN WILBUR RICE, .thin air film may existbetween the pieces S Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resiand T, Fig. 3, in which case one or the other dent of Lynn,in the county of Essex and State piece may be made to inclose its companion 5 of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new in whole or in part in such way, one piece be- 5 5 and useful Electric Out-Off Apparatus, of ing easily fused, that the establishment of an which the following is a specification. arcbetween them mayunite them metallically.

The present invention relates to improved The establishment of the arc maybe the result means of closing an electric circuit followof transferfrom the surfaces T to the pieces [0 ing its rupture or threatened rupture due to S T, as before. If one of the pieces, as T, be 60 sudden breaking of an are or to rupture of made of oxidizable metal and be rusted or the carbon of an incandescent lamp. My insealed by heat, the piece S may rest thereon vention, however, is for a new combination without electrical contact until the flame of of parts which may be applied variously in the arc is transferred. I electric circuits. In Fig. 4 the parts are arranged as before, 65

It consists in placing a film cut-out (two with the addition of an electro-magnet M, metal surfaces connected, respectively, to the whose armature A, when attracted, places the opposite sides of a resistance in circuit with a piece 0 and surface T in contact, the spring Z film or layer of air, paper, &c., between) in serving to open the contact, as in Fig. 2. Consuch relation to that part of the circuit at nections from point a are made to contact- 70 which a rupture or arcing may take place as spring S, to piece 0, to one terminal of the to have the film destroyed by the heat of the magnet-coil M, and to one terminal of a resistarc abnormally established. ance L, which resistance may be an electric- In Figure 1 the simple elements of my inarc lamp whose arc may become abnormally vention are shown. Fig. 2 shows the action of extended, or which may be the carbon con- 75 destroying the insulating-film. Fig. 3 shows ductor of an incandescent lamp subject to a substitute film. Fig. 4 shows one of the rupture or an electro-motor or other electroways in which my invention can be applied. receptive device. The end of the wire of mag- Fig. 5 shows still another application. net-coil M not connected to point a is carried In Fig. 1 from point a to point I) is any part to point I), as is also the other terminal of re- So of a circuit upon which electric currents flow sistance L, and a connection to surface T is or may flow from ct to b or reversely through also made. The magnet-coil of M is of high a contact at the surfaces 0 T, which contact resistance, comparatively, and its armature is or conductor may be opened by any means, as adjusted by the spring Z, so as not to be at- 3 5 by an armature A, Fig. 4. tracted to close the pieces C T unless a rupt- 8" In electric connection to the point (L is a ure or very high resistance is established at spring-contact S, bearing on a film F, as a resistance L, the magnet-coil being in shunt piece of paper, mica, or other insulator, the thereto. XVhcn, however, such high resistother side of which is upheld by a surface T, ance exists or rupture takes place, the magconnected to point I). Now, as shown in Fig. net-coil M is energized and brings the pieces 90 2, should a rupture of circuit at the surfaces 0 T together, thus shunting the resistance L O T be made in any way, as by moving the completely and the magnet-coil M at the same surface 0 from the surface T, and an are or time. The spring Z now reasserts itself and large spark be produced, the heat from the withdraws piece 0 from piece T, forming an same will destroy the film at F and the circuit arc between them, as in Fig. 2, and causing 5 will be closed through the spring-contact S the establishment of a connection between and the surface T by their coming together. the contact-spring S and surface T above by While the device, Figs. 1 and 2, embodies destroying the insulating-film. my invention, it will be well to show its modi- In Fig. 5 the parts are combined in an infied forms. candescent-lamp globe, the magnet M being dispensed with, so that a rupture of the resistance L, causing an arc tosprinp; from one of the wires of the lamp to piece T, attached to the other Wire, will result in the removal of an insulating-film of mica, asbestus, or paper or other insulator F, so that a good contact may be formed between the pieces S and T, S being an extension of lamp-wire C, resting on piece I. 110 Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a circuit-closing device for an electric circuit, the combination of a set of contacts separated by an insulating-film with a device traversed by the current of said circuit, whereby upon the separation or rupture of the circuit through said device an arc is establishedin proximity to the insulating-film, so as to burn or destroy the film and allow said contacts to come together.

2. In a circuit-closing device for an electric circuit, the combination of a set of opposing strips or wires connected, respectively, to the positive and negative terminals of the resist- 2 5 ing path traversed by the current, and an interposed insulating-film between said strips or wires, with a device whereby an arc may be produced in proximity to the film for the purpose of destroying" the film and bringing the strips or wires into electric connection with each other.

3. In a circuit-closing device for an electric circuit, the combination of two opposed electric conductors connected, respectively, to the positive and negative terminals of a resisting path traversed by the current, said conductors being close to but not in actual contact with each other, with means whereby an arc may be produced in proximity to said conductors for the purpose of fusing the conductors together, and thereby forming a path of low resistance for the electric current.

4. The C0lllbl1lttlO[l,\Vll3h a portion of electric circuit at which a rupture may take place, of two conducting bodies or electrodes forming opposite poles of the circuit and normally separated by a thin layer of insulating material, said electrodes being' located in proper proximity to the are forming on rupture of the circuit, as described, so that the insulating-layer maybe destroyed bythe are, as and for the purpose described.

E. IVILBUR RICE, JR.

Witnesses:

J. W. GIBBONEY, it. ll. KITFIELD. 

